Weather bureau says PNG will experience low rainfall soon

After a lengthy wet season in the last two months, rainfall in Papua New Guinea is expected to reduce as change in wind regime is slowly taking its usual course in the country.

National Weather Services, assistant director for casting and warning, Benjamin Malai, told NBC News that Southern region will undergo a dry period starting this month whilst the Northern and Eastern part of the country will continue to experience wet weather.

“In Papua New Guinea winds are very important in the way our atmosphere behaves,” Malai told this newsroom.

“Our monsoon came a little bit late, very unusual that it came in after the first week of January. Now, that wind direction or wind regime is still in place now.

“The winds will change probably sometimes during the second week of this month and when that happens; Southern region we will go back into our usual dry season, however, the Northern and Eastern part of PNG will still be the same as they will receive rain.

“Port Moresby especially and Gulf, Western province that's the dry season.”

Malai said the intensity of rain that has been received in the last one and half months will not be the same as the dry season slowly creeps in.

He added that people must brace themselves for an unforeseen dry period as heavy rainfall experienced in the past 8 weeks is unlikely.

He although clarified that rainfall will still be encountered but with small amounts.

“We will still have some rains but in comparison to the last two months or so that we've had, it will be much less than that.

“Conversely, if we do have some heavy rains, it will be mainly isolated to small communities.”